Music and Freedom

Lecture II – 24/01/18

The following topics were discussed in the class:

 George Frideric Handela and Baroque music

 The Gothic novels – horror novels of 19th century – Frankenstein etc.
 Rich and effluent people generally patronize music – they can afford to pay huge sums to
musicians to celebrate life or death
 Western music is more expensive than Indian classical because of large scale production
 Opera - stories from legends and myths – too expensive – use of oratorios – voice
dominated – range varies
 Difference between Indian and western music – Indian singers play with all ranges – western
singers perfect only one range
 Opera cannot sustain without state or rich people like liquor barons
 Classical music supported by royal families in past but now they’re funded by business
merchants
 Rich people want to promote famous and mainstream music – it’s easier to market
Rahman’s concert than some classical singer’s – the latter has smaller audience even if the
halls are packed
 Classical music is expensive and therefore sold to rich people – everything around it has to
be exorbitant
 There’s a conundrum – what should be produced? – something what influential people like –
there’s no absolute freedom - opera has restriction of class
 Patronage is a big issue in arts and economics - economics dictates one’s choices
 Handel came to England – funded by the British government
 Handel – messiah – he shall feed his flock, the people who walk in darkness
 The aim is to dazzle the rich – these institutions are very old fashioned and have long
procedures
 The classical art may has/had a great impact on the poor – it gives them hope and faith
 It will reach put to everybody not just Christians
 Metaphors of darkness – silence, death etc - a metaphor can be used everywhere and I can
mean different things to different people
 A big writer doesn’t use words but the right words
 Meaning of Guru: Gu means darkness, Ru means light – someone who guides
 Plato believes they are humans because they have a rationale- we have the power to
imagine
 Somebody is going to save us – we don’t try to save themselves – everybody relates to the
song – we need someone to bring the light
 The light has the ability to resonate but not everything
 Music is beyond plays – beyond language
 Music is beyond dance – it is instinctive
 We have moved into a world of senses – we respond to art